1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to shoes and more particularly is directed towards an improved shoe sole especially designed for but not limited to a walking shoe.
2. Description of Related Arts
Walking as a form of exercise continues to increase in popularity as medical studies continue to show the health benefits derived from walking. However, walking, whether for exercise, recreation or any other purpose puts stress on the wearer's feet and legs. This stress can cause injuries to the walker if proper shoes are not worn. Furthermore, improper shoes can hinder the walking motion which not only slows down the walker but requires the wearer to exert unnecessary energy. Improper shoes can therefore prevent the wearer from obtaining the full benefits attributable to walking. Therefore, the need exists for a walking shoe which will aid the walking motion and prevent injuries to the wearer.
Prior shoe soles have been unable to successfully combine lightweightness, stability, wear resistance and cushioning--features widely recognized as ideal for shoe soles. Instead these prior soles sacrifice one of these features at the expense of another. For example, to construct a dense shoe sole in order to provide stability and wear resistance, the sole is exceedingly heavy in weight and therefore hinders the walking motion by causing the wearer to unnecessarily work harder. It could also be frustrating to a walker who is in a training program. On the other hand, prior attempts to develop a lightweight shoe sole to aid the wearer's movement and facilitate walking have resulted in sacrificing wear resistance, stability and cushioning. The sacrifice of wear resistance results in the inability of the shoe sole to withstand the constant contact with the ground and therefore the usefulness of the shoe sole will be shortlived. The sacrifice of stability and cushioning results in injuries to the wearer by not properly countering the forces generated in walking.
Furthermore, prior shoe sole constructions have been unable to successfully combine these features into a sole which accommodates the gait of a walker. After impact of the heel with the ground the foot naturally rolls forwardly to the arch and then continues towards the toe. Additionally, most individual's feet turn inwardly (pronate) during the forward rolling motion. Therefore, there exists a need for a shoe sole which would aid the forward rolling motion through the arch area of the wearer to facilitate the walking motion and to accommodate the inward movement of the foot towards the medial side, while still combining the advantageous features enumerated above.
The need also exists for a shoe sole which combines these features plus aids the forward rolling motion through the arch of the wearer to facilitate running or other athletic activities as well.